Communications & Media

Here is a sample list of applied areas in this industry:

Advertising

Advertising is a paid persuasive message, sponsored by the seller of a given product. Professionals in the advertising field often work for an agency that serves clients in a range of industries. Specific roles in advertising agencies typically fall within four tracks: account management, account planning, creative, and media. While traditional advertising focused on television and magazine placements, in the last decade or so, advertising has expanded its digital footprint, especially on social media.

Branding/Brand Strategy

Branding and Brand Strategy go beyond individual campaigns, focusing on the overarching identity, perception, and long-term value of an organization, product, or individual. Professionals in this field define a brand’s purpose, values, and voice, ensuring consistency across all communications and touchpoints. This strategic discipline encompasses everything from visual identity and messaging frameworks to market positioning and brand partnerships. Roles often involve deep market research, consumer psychology, and strategic thinking, preparing you to shape how entities are perceived and trusted in the marketplace. Whether working in-house for a major corporation, at a specialized brand consultancy, or for an agency, this field requires both creativity and analytical rigor.

Corporate Communications

Corporate Communications professionals manage how an organization communicates with its various stakeholders, including employees, investors, media, and the public, to build and maintain a positive reputation. This field encompasses internal communications, media relations, crisis management, investor relations, and executive profiling, crafting consistent and transparent messaging that aligns with company goals. These roles require strong writing, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex information landscapes. Corporate Communications roles exist both within companies across diverse industries and at specialized communications firms.

Entertainment: Film, Television, Audio

By the time viewers see a blockbuster film in theaters or binge-watch their favorite television show, it has come across the desks of countless professionals, including writers, editors, producers, directors, studio executives, and agents. With the advent of streaming and podcasting, the entertainment industry has seen the disparate fields of film, television, and audio intersect more often, all three often seen as potential paths for storytellers. Careers in entertainment typically require strong relationship-building skills, whether a professional is freelancing or employed full-time at a single company.

Gaming & esports

With massive global audiences for their products and players, video game studios hire artists, programmers, and strategists to create and amplify their games – and the burgeoning esports industry has opened even more communication and media opportunities at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and competitive play. From broadcast production and social media strategy for professional teams to journalistic coverage of tournaments and player narratives, this area demands a keen understanding of gaming culture and its passionate global audience. It’s an exciting field for those eager to apply an array of creative skills to a rapidly-growing industry.

Marketing

Marketing is the coordinated effort a business makes to sell their products, whether in-house or through an external agency. A marketer might plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors or identifying potential customers. Nowadays, marketing professionals have a plethora of platforms to consider for their strategy, whether through partnerships with social media personalities or internally-generated content.

Journalism

Journalists create content that informs, inspires, and educates. They work in traditional media like newspapers, magazines, radio, and television broadcasting, as well as podcasts, documentaries, and social media. In recent years, this sector has diversified and decentralized, as print publications have shifted to a digital-first strategy, TV news shows have grown more competitive for viewership, and smartphones and social media have made it easier than ever for regular citizens to share news and opinions.

Public Relations and Publicity

Public Relations (PR) professionals transmit a message to the public about a specific product or company through media. Working in PR involves ensuring that your message is portrayed positively through the press. A PR professional may create and implement a publicity strategy or mitigate negative publicity on a client’s or organization’s behalf. This work requires strong communication and strategic thinking.

Publishing

Major publishers scout, edit, and produce books, ebooks, and audiobooks across genres. Traditionally, publishing has been a print industry, but in recent years the internet and digital media have transformed this field. In addition to editorial staff, publishers employ professionals in sales, marketing, publicity, graphic design, and core business functions.

Social Media

While virtually every marketing and advertising role today intersects with social media, there are still firms and roles that are hyper-specialized in social media content creation, community building, and direct platform management. Companies know that social media is key for communicating with their customer base. Companies hire social media staff to strategize across platforms, create engaging content, and communicate with existing and potential customers and clients. 

• CCE Sponsored Internships: Within these programs, students have held various media and communications internships with organizations like Film Forum, The Center for Fiction, The Center for Book Arts, and the Alliance for Citizen Engagement.
• Student Journalism: Join student media outlets such as the Columbia Daily Spectator, The Blue and White, and WKCR to build experience.
• Studio 292 is a student-run production studio and campus network for those interested in film.

Job Boards

• Bookjobs.com
• Center for Communication
• EntertainmentCareers.net
• MediaBistro
• JournalismJobs
• The Mandy Network
• New York Foundation for the Arts
• Poynter
• Show Biz Jobs
• Staff Me Up

Associations

• Association of American Publishers
• Digital Media Association
• National Association of Broadcasters
• News/Media Alliance
• She Runs It